A Short Respite with Kara and Chris

One of the perks of senior missionaries is that your children and grandchildren get to visit you if they can arrange to get where you are serving.  Our son-in-law, Adam, visited us for a few days before Christmas while he was on a business trip.  And now, our youngest daughter, Kara, and her husband, Chris, decided to take a European vacation before Chris starts medical school at Penn State in July.

So, they decided to visit Italy and to drop by and spend a few days (OK, about six) with us.  They came to church with us on Sunday and got to meet the wonderful members of our little branch.

We were able to show them around the Bella Toscana, starting with the hill towns of Radda in Chianti and Castellina in Chianti, and then Montepulchiano, Pienza and Montalcino.  It only rained on us for about a day and a half, and then we had beautiful weather for the remainder of our time together.

Kara and Chris in Montepulchiano

Rainy day in Radda in Chianti

Dad and Kara in Montepulchiano

Jet lag caught up with them, and they missed a lot of beautiful countryside

We tried to show them the wonderful things in Siena, but the weather didn't cooperate.  Also, we tried twice to get into the Duomo, but both times they decided to close it early, with no warning.  But we did climb the Tower and walk the rainy streets of old town.

We climbed to the top of the highest civic tower in all of Italy, right in Siena!

A view of Siena's Duomo from the top of the tower

The rainy streets of downtown Siena

The facade of Siena's grand Duomo

We also visited the nearby towns of San Gimignano and Volterra, and spent a long day in Florence.

The towers of San Gimignano

A park in Volterra

Chris would have trouble with this door for sure!

To finish off their visit, we saw the sights in Pisa and Lucca.  

Riding bikes around the walls of Lucca

Pisa's Duomo and Baptistry from the top of the Leaning Tower

Kara and Chris at the top of the Leaning Tower

Darryl and Bonnie on the top too!

The best of friends pose in Pisa

Then we spent two glorious days in the beautiful Cinque Terre region.

Chris catching a few extra winks

Corniglia, where we stayed for two nights

Corniglia on the hill

Hiking the trail between Corniglia and Vernazza

Vernazza

Open air bistros near the water

Darryl and Bonnie on the hike to Vernazza

365 stairs from the train station up to Corniglia

Corniglia from the water

Manarola

Riomaggiore

Manarola at night

Waiting for a train to Monterosso that never came!

Chris and Kara off to the beach in Vernazza

After what were fun-filled and joyful days together, we dropped them off at the train station in Genova where they continued their European adventure on their own, visiting Venice, and then taking the night train to Paris for two romantic days alone before returning to their beautiful daughter, Olivia, who anxiously waited for them back in the States.

This little respite from our everyday assignments was both refreshing and invigorating, and a lot of work hiking up and down the mountain trails of Cinque Terre.  It was a mid-mission break that reminded us how precious our five children, our five sons and daughters-in-law, and our ten (soon to be 11 in a few weeks) grandchildren are to us! 

And on Mother's Day, our son Daniel and his wife, Tara, broke more baby news to us.  They are expecting, and they are having twins!!!  So that will be 13, and who knows who else might receive such wonderful blessings from on high. 

Families are miracles, and the restored gospel reveals that families can be together forever.  And for that knowledge, we are eternally grateful!